Cylinder head and valve mechanism for internal combustion engines



Oct. 13, 1936. F. J. HoLMEs CYLINDER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL CIOMBUSTION ENGIVNES 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.y 11, 1934 r. r /VMLM m e .m DN 1 m, QQ R, m m n .Q\ -il I 1.1. w M |r l .mw L 1 1 1 Wm. m C -l 4 IW /VVVr n Q A Y J m, uw? A a. w 1 F uw@ Mw Y l @D 1 xxN f, \w Ill 1 L we 1 Nm. M a ,wm/A l 1 |M||. ,V. v w 1 1 x Il- MN .in ,vM NWT i, 1 i 4 F. J. HOLMES 2,057,147

CYLINDER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Oct. 13, 1936.

Filed Deo. l1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll/lll nventor j.

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 CYLINDER HEAD AND VALVE MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL CODIBUSTION ENGINES Frederick J. Holmes, Detroit, Mich., assgnor to Nu-Way Engineering Corporation,

Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 11, 1934, Serial No. 757,034

c 4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-191) This invention relates to internal lcombustion engines, and has particular reference to improvements in cylinder heads and contained valves for controlling the intake and exhaust of explosive gases and-gases of combustion to and from the cylinders of such engines, especially engines of the type including opposed series of cylinders arranged parallel to and spaced about a power shaft having a cam with which cooperates cam followers on rods connecting the pistons of alined cylinders of the respective series.

A special object of the invention is to provide a cylinder head having intake and exhaust ports and chambers and related valves so arranged that the intake gases are directed over the exhaust valve whereby said gases are to some extent heated and more highly Vaporized in entering the combustion chamber, and whereby they serve to exert a cooling eect on the exhaust valve.

Another object oi.' the invention is to provide a cylinder head having a combustion chamber of such novel design that the explosive gases entering the same not only arev directed over the exhaust valve, but have a turbulent effect imparted thereto whichis conducive to a better explosive mixture. Y

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of features as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and dened in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:

Figure 1 is a central,4 longitudinal section through an internal combustion engine of the opposed cylinder type having cylinder heads constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view, with parts broken away, of the engine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the intake valve and valve chamber of one of the cylinder heads; and

Figures 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I0, I0 designate a pair of cylinder blocks which are disposed in end to end spaced relationship and each of which has formed therein an annular series of cylinders II radially spaced equidistantly from the axis of a power shaft I2 which extends centrally through and is journaled in said cylinder blocks, the said cylinders being arranged, as

lnel I6, and carried by each connecting rod and shown, parallel to the power shaft in alined pairs equidistantly spaced about the shaft.

Within the cylinders II are pistons I3 and, as shown, each alined or related pair of pistons of the respective cylinder blocks are connected to- 5 gether by a connecting rod I4.

On the power shaft I2 between the cylinder blocks Il), I0 is a cylindrical member I5 having formed therein a continuous peripheral cam chanl0 disposed within said cam channel is a roller Il, the cam channel being of such suitable shape that the cam, and consequently the power shaft, is rotated due to the coaction of the rollers Il with the inclined side walls of the cam groove when the connecting rods I4 are reciprocated.

At the outer ends of the cylinders Il are cylinder heads I8 having valves actuated by the power shaft I2 for controlling the admission of fuel and the escape ofI exhaust gases to and from the cylinders II, while at the outer end of either or both of the cylinder blocks Il) is a suitable timing device, (not shown) for controlling the firing of charges admitted to the cylinders, the arrangement in this respect being such that each set of cylinders re successively with the cylinders of the respective sets firing in predetermined relationship to each other so that there is practically continuous transmission of power from the connecting rods I4 to the cam and the power shaft.

The present engine includes novel means providing for adjustment of the cylinder blocks I0, I0 toward and away from each other to vary the size of the combustion chambers at the outer ends of the cylinders, and to' equalize the areas of said chambers, and also novel connections between the pistons I3 and the connecting rods I4, as well as novel means for guiding the connecting rods, whereby the pistons are prevented from being thrust laterally against the cylinder walls and torsional strains in the connecting rods are avoided. These features are, however, described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 757,033, filed December 11, 1934, and therefore will not again be described herein, particularly since the present invention relates primarily to the cylinder heads I8, the valves contained therein and the related valve actuating means.

Preferably there is a cylinder head I8 individual to each cylinder, as this is advantageous in many respects not only from a manufacturing standpoint, but from the standpoint of assembly, disassembly, repairs and replacements. The several individual cylinder heads may, however, be

embodied in a single casting if this should be found desirable.

1n the present instance individual heads I3 are illustrated, and. as shown,each head is of generally segmental shape so that the several heads related to each cylinder block may be bolted in side to side relationship against the outer end of the block with all of the heads in identical relationship to their related cylinders.

Each head I8 includes a' flanged base I3 bolted against the cylinder block, and a body portion 2l having intake and exhaust ,passageways 2I and 22, respectively, which are disposed in side to side relationship and separated by a wall 23 extending radially with respect to the power shaft I2, said passageways 2|, 22 opening through the front end of the body portion and being connected with intake and exhaust manifolds 24 and 25, respectively, which, as shown. are of circular or ringlike form and common to the several heads Il. In addition, each head includes achamber 2l disposed outwardly of the passageways 2|, 22 and separated therefrom by a wall 21 having intake and exhaust ports 28 and 23, respectively, providing communication between said chamber and said passageways. The chamber 2| is of coniparatively narrow depth and of a width corresponding substantially to the combined width of the two passageways. It is closed except at its rear end where it opens into the related cylinder II and forms therewith a compression or combustion chamber of substantially T-shape, as illustrated in Figure 3, when the related piston I3 is at its limit of outward movement.

'I'he ports 28, 29 are controlled by poppet valves 30, 3|, respectively, which move outwardly into the chamber 2B when opened and which have stems 32 disposed radially relative to the powerl shaft I2 and extending through the passageways 2 I, 22 and through guide bearings 33 formed with the inner wall of the body portion 24. Between the inner wall oi the body portion 2l and abutments 34 on the valve stemsgare coil springs 3l which tend constantly to close the valves. In this connection it will be observed that the exhaust ports and valve of each cylinder head is disposed in a plane transversely of the engine closer to the end of the cylindeigblock Il than the in-v take port and valve, and that on ythe .power shaft I2 are two cams 36 and 31 disposed in the planes of the intake and exhaust valves, respectively. It will further be observed that cam followers 33 are guided in a ring-like bracket 39 fastened to the end of the cylinder block in surrounding rela/- tionship to the power Ashaft I2, and that in the outer ends of said cam followers are adjustment screws 40 which cooperate with the inner ends oi' the valve stems to urge the valves to open positions under the influence of the cams 3l, 31 when the power shaft is rotated. As shown. the cam followers preferably are provided at vtheir inner ends with rollers 4I for anti-friction engagement with the cams 36, 31.

Reverting to the cylinder heads I4, and with particular reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, it will be observed that the front wall 42 of the chamber 26 is inclined rearwardly from a point forwardly of the intake port 2l to a point forwardly of the exhaust port 23; that rearwardly of the intake port 28 the chamber 24 isdeilned by a side wall 43 which has the same general inclination as the front wall 42 and which terminates at one side of the port or mouth 44 through which the chamber 26 communicates with the cylinder I I: that the said termination of the wall 43 is' onf the exhaust port side of a radial plane including the axis of the intake valve, and'that the opposite side wall 4! of the chamber 28 is gradually curved, rearwardly of the exhaust port 28, toward the wall 43. Thus, it is apparent that intake gases flowing from the intake passageway 2| through the intake port 28 into the chamber 26, are caused by the walls of said chamber to be directed toward and across the exhaust valve 3| in their travel through said chamber toward the port 44, thereby serving to cool the exhaust valve and by their absorption of heat from the exhaust valve. to be more highly vaporized. It is also apparent that due to the change in direction of flow of the intake `gases through the chamber 26, said gases have turbulence imparted thereto .whereby they become more thoroughly intermixed and consequently more powerful.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the chamber 24 of each cylinder head isequipped with dual spark plugs 44 and .41, one located preferably adjacent to the intake valve 30 and the other in or adjacent to the port 44, thereby to assure simultaneous firing oi all parts of an explosive charge compressed within the combustion chamber including the chamber 23 and the adjacent end of the cylinders II.

The present cylinder head structure obviously is exceptionally compact and quite advantageous ior the reasons pointed out, especially in conl however, that while only a single specific embodiment oi' the invention`has been illustrated and described, the same is readily capable of embodiment in specically different structures within the spirit and scope of the invention as deilned in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder. a cylinder head having a combustion chamber provided with a mouth opening into the cylinder. one side of said mouth being disposed adjacent to one side of said chamber, the other side of said chamber extending laterally and at an outward inclination beyond the -other side of said mouth. both the inner and the outer walls of said Fchamber being outwardly and laterally inclined' relative to said mouth, and valve controlled intake and exhaust ports in a wall of said chamber, the intake port and valve being disposed in an outer part of said chamber laterally spaced from the chamber mouth, and the exhaust port being disposed inwardly oi said intake port and being laterally spaced therefrom toward the chamber mouth whereby gases nowing from the intake port through the chamber to the mouth are required to sweep across the exhaust valve.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a cylinder head having` a combustion chamber provided with a mouth opening into'the cylinder, said' chamber extending outwardly from and laterally to one side oi said mouth at an outward inclination relative thereto, both the inner and the outer walls of said chamber being inclined, an intake port and valve in the outer portion of said chamber laterally offset with respect to the chamber mouth, and an exhaust port and valvein said chamber between the inlet port and sald mouth whereby gases flowing from the intake port through the chamber to the mouth are required to sweep across the exhaust valve.

3. In an internal combustion engine. a cylinder, a cylinder head having a combustlonzchamber valprovided with a mguth Qpening into the Cylinder said chamber extending outwardly from and laterally to one side oi' said mouth, an intake port Y and valve in the outer portion of said chamber .laterally oiiset with respect to the chamber mouth,` and an port and valve in said chamber disposed inwardly with respect to and laterally spaced from the intake port and valve toward the chamber mouth substantially in the .path of direct iiow oi' gases from the intake port through the chamber to the mouth, whereby the exhaust valve is swept and cooled by said gases.

4. The cylinder head construction as set forth A 

